Madarosis.

Madarosis may be a presenting feature of a number of vision and life-threatening conditions, including herpes zoster, leprosy, HIV/AIDS, trachoma, malignant eyelid tumors, discoid lupus, scleroderma, and hypothyroidism. It may occur via two broad pathogenic pathways: scarring and non-scarring, which indicates the potential for lash re-growth. Madarosis may occur as an isolated finding or together with loss of other body and scalp hair. The etiology of madarosis can be further divided into dermatological, infection, endocrine, neoplastic, drug-related, congenital, and trauma. This report includes salient points in the clinical history and examination of patients with madarosis, with an emphasis on excluding or diagnosing visual or life threatening disorders associated with madarosis.

Complications of mitomycin C therapy in 100 eyes with ocular surface neoplasia.

AIM: To determine the complications associated with mitomycin C (MMC) in the treatment of ocular surface neoplasia. METHODS: A retrospective and consecutive study of 100 eyes in 91 patients with ocular surface neoplasia treated with MMC in a single centre between November 1998 and January 2005. Outcome measures included complications of MMC and the treatment required for these complications. RESULTS: One to three 7 day cycles of topical MMC 0.04% four times a day were given to 59 eyes with localised corneal-conjunctival intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), 19 eyes with diffuse CIN, six eyes with recurrent CIN, one eye with ocular surface squamous cell carcinoma, three eyes with primary acquired melanosis (PAM) with atypia, nine eyes with conjunctival malignant melanoma (MM), two eyes with sebaceous carcinoma with pagetoid spread, and one eye with recurrent atypical fibroxanthoma. Nine patients had bilateral CIN. 31 (34%) cases developed an allergic reaction to MMC and 14 (14%) eyes had epiphora secondary to punctal stenosis at a mean follow up period of 26.5 months. CONCLUSION: In the largest study looking at complications of topical MMC in the treatment of ocular surface neoplasia, allergic reaction and punctal stenosis are relatively common. Serious complications were not observed suggesting the safe use of MMC in mid-term follow up.

Endoscopic sinus surgery for paranasal sinus mucocoele with orbital involvement.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the results of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) for paranasal sinus mucocoele with orbital involvement and assess the frequency with which a direct orbital approach is required in these cases. METHODS: Retrospective, consecutive series of sinus mucocoeles with orbital involvement treated by ESS by a single surgeon over a 4-year period (1998-2002). RESULTS: A total of 24 mucocoeles of 15 patients, including 10 frontal, eight frontoethomoidal, two ethmoidal, and four maxillary. All cases demonstrated radiological orbital extension. Globe displacement was seen in 73%. At a median follow-up of 15.5 months, the mean cumulative clinical score improved from 4.2 +/- 1.5 (range 1-7) to 0.4+/-0.7 (range 0-2). Ophthalmic symptoms and signs resolved in all patients but one who had complex sinus anatomy following neurosurgery. Minor, self-limiting complications including epistaxis and intranasal adhesions occurred in three cases. Additional endoscopic sinus surgery was required in four patients for revision of narrowed frontal sinus ostium (two), mucocoele recurrence (two), and sinus toileting (one). No cases required external sinus surgery and the average hospital in-patient stay was 2.5 +/- 1.6 days. At final follow-up, sinus ostia were patent in all excluding one case that required a stent due to disrupted anatomy. CONCLUSION: ESS is effective in improving ophthalmic symptoms and signs due to paranasal sinus mucocoele. ESS may be a viable treatment for paranasal sinus mucocoele with orbital extension, and a direct orbital approach is rarely necessary.

Can the specificity of the FDT for glaucoma be improved by confirming abnormal results?

PURPOSE: To determine whether the specificity of the frequency-doubling technology (FDT) perimeter in the screening mode for glaucoma can be improved by repeating abnormal screening results. METHODS: The FDT perimeter was used in C-20-5 screening mode, and the right eye was tested first. After both eyes were tested, the screening was repeated in eyes with any abnormal visual field defects on FDT perimetry. The printouts were categorized as possible visual field abnormality (zero or one miss), probable visual field abnormality (two to four misses), and definite visual field abnormality (more than five misses). A clinical ophthalmologic examination was conducted on the day of the FDT perimetry screening. RESULTS: Complete data were available for 223 people. The participants ranged in age from 23 to 91 years (mean, 68.5 years; standard deviation. 13.7 years), and 119 (53%) were women. The sensitivity of the FDT perimetry screening was 100%; both cases of glaucoma showed an abnormality on FDT perimetry both times. The specificity improved moderately from the first screening to the second screening. The specificity the first time was 62% (95% confidence interval, 53.1-71.2). The specificity the second time was 68.5% (95% confidence interval, 59.8-77.1). Improvement on FDT perimetry rescreening varied by the language spoken at home. Seven of the 19 non-English speakers without glaucoma improved on rescreening, compared with none of the 23 English speakers (P = 0.002). Seven of the 25 right eyes with FDT perimetry abnormalities both times and no glaucoma had no other detectable diseases. Three of 24 left eyes with FDT perimetry abnormalities both times and no glaucoma had no other detectable diseases. Of the 85 patients who did not have glaucoma but had FDT perimetry abnormalities both times, only one did not have some other detectable disease. DISCUSSION: In summary, the sensitivity for glaucoma of the C-20-5 screening mode is excellent, but a paradigm for screening with the FDT perimeter to improve the overall specificity for glaucoma still must be developed.